Side-delivery rake.



E. C. SMITH.

SIDE DELIVERY RAKE.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY 20. I9II.

1,146,966. Patented July 20, 1915.

J7 II o A IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII COLUMBIA PLANQIIIRIIIPM co.,wASI-I|NOTON. D. cA

E. C. SMITH.

SIDE DELVEHY BAKE.

Y APPLICATION FILED IuLv 20, I9II.

Patented July 20, 1915.

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cnLUMBIA PLANcoR/IPI-I CO.,-WASHINGI'0N, D. C.

E. C. SMITH. SIDE DELIVERY BAKE. APPLICATION FILED :uw 2o, 1911.

' Patented July 20, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

CQLUMBM PLANOGRAPH Co.. WASHINGTON, nA C.

ERNEST C. SMITH, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 ACME HARVESTINGMACHINE CO., OF PEOBIA, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION 0F WEST VIRGINIA.

SIDE-DELIVERY RAKE.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, i915.

Application filed July 20, 1911; Serial No. 639,676.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST C. SMrrH, citizen of the United States,residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinios, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Side-Delivery Rakes;and-I do hereby declare that the following is a full,'clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable vothers skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in rakes of the side deliverytype.

It has for one of its objects the provision of a tool that isconvertible from a rake to a tedder and vice versa.

Another object is the provision of a rake that can be reversed in itsdirection of drive in order to adapt it for a side delivery rake or ahay tedder.

Still another object is to provide in a tool of this type a form ofmechanism by which the raking devices thereof are allowed to float or toadapt themselves, as a whole, to the uneven surface of the ground passedover.

Still another object is to provide afloating raking frame, or the framethat carries the raking devices, and also to provide `for the positivecontrol of said raking frame by positively locking it at any desiredheight and to provide also, peculiar means for automatically throwingthedriving gear out of engagement when the raking devices are raised fromthe ground.

Other objects and advantages in addition to these will appear in thevfollowing specification and certain novel structures will be brought asthe description proceed aided by the accompanying drawings whereinFigure l is a plan of the rake. Fig. la, in perspective, shows the upperportion of one of the arms of a raking device. Fig. lb is a plan of aportion of a crank and a bearing. Fig. 1c isa cross section of the crankshown in Fig. lb, also the bearing shown in that figure. Fig. 2 is asectional elevation of the machine on line Fig. l as Seen in thedirection of the dart. Fig. 3, in perspective, shows a portion ofthemainframe and some of the operating parts. Fig. iis an elevationY ofapair of operating levers for controlling the raking devices. Fig. o isan elevation of part of one of said raking devices. Fig. 6 is a diagramshowing the manner of reversing the direction of drive. Fig. 7,inperspective, shows a portion of a raking-frame, a crank-shaft, and anadjustable member on said frame to engage said shaft, and Fig. 8,inperspective, a part of the main frame and an adjustable eye to receivethe end of a spring.

I am aware of a hay tedder in which the raking members are'permitted tofloat in the raking operation but I am not aware of the particular meansshown and to be described herein in a side delivery rake or providingfor this iioating feature and wherein the raking members through anauxiliary frame are suspended from the main frame through free actingmeans that permits free and unrestricted vertical movement, at times,eX- cept as to the limit imposed by said free acting means. Again, thereis the advantage of a simple construction whereby a change in thedirection of drive and position of the raking devices can be had totransform the rake into a tedder thereby making the machine of doublevalue though this adaptability not 'particularly new.

Thematin frame is preferably made up of vangle-bars one of the partsbeing represented by A. It lies at the front of the machine between themain carrying wheels represented at B and secured to and extendingrearwardly from this member and at right angles toit is a side member Ato whose rear end is attached a thirdmember A2 extending forward atabout an angle of 450 to the first two members and secured to the memberA, both members A and A2 being close to the wheels so as to make a wideand strong frame. Other frame .portions are also employed one of 'whichis indicated at C, its ends being secured to the frame members A and `Aand the member A2. This portion @practically divides `the frame into twohalves and besides forming a strong brace carries certa-in parts of themechanism to be described. Mounted upon the member A is the usual seat Fand at Gr is the usualv tongue. At the rear of the frame is acaster-wheel J having a bearing in any suitable bracket K secured to thehis frame member A2. Lying across the parts A and A and the portion Csubstantially parallel to the member A2, is a member D to one extremityof which is secured the end of a member E its other extremity beingsecured to the member A2. All these parts constitute the main frame andare preferably of angle-bars, as stated, since such a frame is light andstrong and furnishes a very rigid structure for carrying the parts nowto be described.

Depending from and hingedly attached to the bar D of the frame is aseries of members L preferably angle-bars, but three of them being'shown in the present instance. These lie parallel to one another and tothe central member C. The manner of hanging these bars is clearly shownin Fig. 2 in which M indicates a hanger for each bar which is secured inany good way to the bar D. y

N indicates a strap secured to each of the said members L and pivotallysuspended from the hanger by means of bolt O. The rear ends of themembers L are cross connected by a bar P bolted to them all constitutinga strong, rigid but light frame. A shaft Q has its bearings at R uponeach of the said members L near their rear ends and this shaft has aseries of cranks S formed in it at various angles to receive the rakingmembers. The latter, as shown in Figs. 1a and 5, are preferably made upof two flat bars T secured by means of a bolt U to a casting V thelatter having an extension W at opposite sides either of which receivesthe bent end of a rock-arm 2, Fig. 1, whose other end is held in abracket 3 secured to the front member D `as shown in Fig. 3. The lowerextremities of the bars T are bent at right angles in oppositedirections and bolted to a bar 4: from which are suspended the -usualrake teeth 5 in any suitable manner;

the form of said teeth in side elevation being shown plainly in Fig. 2.

Upon each crank S is a split boxing 6 whose parts are bolted together bymeans of bolts 7 extending through lugs 8.- Cast with one of the boxingsections are two ears 9 to which the arms T of the raking device aresecured by means of bolts 10.

Mounted on the shaft Q is a sprocket wheel 11 driven by a chain 12 fortransmitting rotary motion to said shaft. Said chain is driven from asprocket 13 rotatable on a shaft 14 having its bearings at one end in acasting 15 secured on the central member C of the frame and at its otherend upon a member C of said frame. This shaft carries a gear 16 whichmeshes with a similar gear 17 mounted on and driven by a shaft 18 alsohaving its bearings in the casting 15, and on the frame member A, therebeing a sprocket wheel 19 on said shaft 18V driven from amaster-sprocket 2O on the hub of one of the wheels B through a chain 2l.The

latter is adapted to drive the sprocket 19 in either direction thisbeing possible through the use of an idler sprocket 22. As stated, it

is the desire that the implement be Aadapted both for a side deliveryrake and a tedder and for this reason I provide means for re* versingthe direction' of drive of the said shaft 18 whereb-y thev shaft Qwillbe re- Y arrangement the chain after extending around the saidmaster-sprocket passes beneath the sprocket 19 and over the idler 22 andback to the master-sprocket. The same direction of drive of the latter,of course, will impart a reverse direction of. rotation through thesprocket 19. Preferably an idler 23 is used which answers as a tightenerand it is necessary in the arrangement shown to add to or takeaway fromthe chain a number of links in order to obtainl the two drivingconditions. However, other arrangements may be employed whereby thedirec# tion of drive may be reversed since the particular means employedis not important.v 24 represents a roller to bear upon the chain 12 andanswering as a chain tightener,l said roller being carried on anl arm25pivoted to a bracket 26 on the frame member D (see Fig. 3) andcontrolled by a spring 27. Used as a rake the raking devices T carriedby the crank shaft Q, takeI theposition shown in Fig. 2, that is, withthe ends of the rake teeth 5 pointing forward. The rotation of the crankshaft will impart the usual ellip tical orbit to the teeth due to therock-arm 2 in control of the raking devices but as this action is wellunderstood it will not be further dwelt upon. Nhen the direction ofrotation is reversed lto produce a tedder the raking devices arereversedinposition, that is to say, the bolt 10 of the boxing 6 and therock-arm 2 are removed from the extension 9 and WV respectively andafter the device has been reversed, by imparting a half turn Y thereto,the said bolt 10 and arm are replaced. f

The oating operation for the rake frame will now be described togetherwith the mechanism for the same. Y

Mounted in suitable bearings 28 upon the frame portion A2 is a rockshaft 28 which carries an arm 29 near each end extending forwardly'andfrom which is suspended a link BO having pivotal' connection with andfor suspending theend bars L before described. Substantially midway ofthe length ofV theshaft is secured ank arm 3l `having a 130 endextending forward and having attachment to a'lever 33 pivoted upon thecentral member C within reach of the operators seat. A spring 34 isattached at one end to t-he said lever and is adjustable at its otherend in a bracket 35, Fig. 8,`secured on the member D of the frame, asshown, the adjustment being made through an eye bolt 36 and a nut 37thereon. Also pivoted on the member C at the same pivot point as thelever 33 is a lever 38 carrying at its Side nearest the lever 33 anotched sector 39 with which the latch 33 of said lever 33 engages.Secured to the member C is a sector 40 with which may engage the latch41 of the lever 38. Movement of the lever 33 will impart a verticalmovement to the raking frame L, P, through the mechanism described, andsaid frame can be adjusted to any desired height and there sustained bythe sector 39 provided the lever 38 is held stationary by the sector 40.`When it is desired to permit the raking frame and its raking devices tohave free vertical movement or float the latch of the lever 38 may beheld free of the sector 40 by means of a link A41 carried by said lever.Both levers are now free to swing thus permitting the vertical floatingmovement of the raking devices as they meet the undulating surface ofthe ground. Upon the shaft.14,` which carries the gear 16 is aclutch-member 42 rotatable with said shaft by means, for instance, of afeather 43 but shiftable along said shaft and adapted to engage the hubof the sprocket 13 which also constitutes a clutch-member. 44 is a forklying in a groove 45 of the portion 42 said fork being part of a rockshaft 46 extending rearwardly through a hanger 47 secured to theframe-portion D and through the frameportion A2, and provided with aicrank 48. Mounted upon the vertical web of the portion P of the rakeframe is a member 49 having horizontal slots 50 for receiving bolts 51which extend into the said portion P. The upper edge of the member isinclined at an angle to the upper edge of the portion l), as shown, andsaid member lies below the cranked portion 48.

A spring 52 is interposed between the frame portion C and the clutchportion 42, the constant tendency of which is to shift saidclutch-portion into engagement with that of the sprocket wheel 13. lhenin the act of raising the rake-frame the member 49 meets the crank48 androcks the shaft 6 in a direction to separate the clutch portions andcompress the said spring.

'The rake-frame is adjusted by means of the lever 33 so that thelowermost position of any one of the raking members will be about at theground level and all of the members will work quite close to said leveland thereby all of the hay will be gathered. However, the frame can beplaced in any one of several adjustments while able to have the desiredfloating action. Also by permitting the raking frame to float theexcessive strains placed upon the mechanism,

-as this type of rake as ordinarily constructed,

is entirely eliminated. These strains are caused by the raking membersstriking high placed in the ground or by the wheels dropping into lowplaces, or both. 1t is quite evident that in floating the members willyield as these conditions are met and no damage can result. And inaddition to the above the draft is necessarily much lighter than inrakes in which these parts are not free to rise and fall. i

rlhe floating action in my rake is of double value since whether used asa rake or a tedder its advantages are present and can be utilized.l

My rake and tedder is distinguished from others of its class by the factthat others have no elastically suspended auxiliary frame for the rakingmembers where the main frame is supported at the front and rear. I amaware, however, of two certain two-wheeled hay tedder structures of thesulky type, more or less obsolete in form, that combine an elasticauxiliary frame pivoted in one case on the thills or shafts betweenwhich the draft animal is placed, and in the other case pivoted on aframe, the practical equivalent of the thills. In practice with such aform, the jerky vertical motions imparted to the thills or to the frameby the animal transmits a like up and down .jerky movement to the raketeeth so that they are lifted off the ground at each step. This in atedder is not a great advantage as is obvious, but if used as a rake, ofthe side delivery type especially, where the field must be raked cleanthe rgsults from this type would be far from satisfactory because itwould be practically impossible to hold the teeth of the raking devicesupon the ground. However, by suspending the auX- iliary frame from apartthat is supported at both front and rear so as to acquire none ofthe up and down jerky motions of the two-wheeled type of machine therake teeth maintain a substantially constant level and get all of thehay and more of the hay than can be gathered by the present-day type ofsaid delivery rake that does not include a spring suspension of itsraking devices for holding them elastica-ily upon the ground.

The lever 38 carrying the sector 39 is employed to lift the raking framefrom its operating position or to lower it to that position and at suchtimes the frame is made to release the clutch-portion or permit them toengage as the needs of the case demand.

In the floating action the spring 34 aids vthe frame is raised thetension of the spring is slightly relaxed.

In addition to what has been described with regard to the frame L andthe peculiar structure in control of it the following may be stated inorder to lead to a clearer understanding of the arrangement of the partsandreasons for their use. v When the latch ll of the lever 38 is heldfree of the sector Ll0 said lever is moved to the forward limit of thesaid sector against any usual stop, not shown, by the weight of the saidframe L and said lever which carries the sector 39 thus carries with itvthe lever 33. When the lever 38 lies at the said forward limit of thesaid sector and the lever 33 is at the forward limit of the sector 39theframe L occupies its lowest position. The frame is now free to floatupward should obstructions be encountered and thisy action will causethe lever 38 to move rearwardly or toward the rear extremity of itssector 40 carrying with it the lever and sectorl 39. The obstructionpassed, however, the lever 38 immediately goes forward again due to theweight of the frame which for the best results cannot be.' entirelybalanced by the pull of the spring 34.

The higher adjustments of the frame for floating at higher positions aremade by locking the lever 33 rearwardly on the sec'- tor 39 being stillfree for the floating action.

Of course, if the ralre were operated with the frame L rigid relative tothe carrying frame the lever 33 and sector 39 would not then be neededsince the required changes in elevation of the frame would be madethrough the lever 38 and sector 40.

The system of spring suspension of the rake-frame from the main-framein'my device is novel and lends greater elasticity to the verticalmovements of the said rakeframe than by other methods from the fact thatthe spring 3st is quite long and isof the form that suspends the weightrather than being compressed under said weight. Because ofthis fact thespring can be made as long as desired to thus lgive a wider latitude ofmovement and of sensitiveness of movement to the rake-frame. Asdistinguished from the art, also,` the attachment of the spring isbetween the main frame and the lever as a suspension member and for thatreason can be made quite long as stated in order to obtain the requiredsensitive action mentioned.

It is not my wish to be confined to any particular structure shown anddescribed since those described and shown are mere preferences Vand aresusceptible to changes that may suggest themselves to a skilled person.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a side delivery hayrake, the combination of a main frame and its frontV and rear carryingwheels, a rake frame pivotally suspended at its forward portion to saidmainframe and including raking devices, the rear portion of the rakeframe lying adjacent a part of said main frame, a lever pivotallymounted between its ends on said part of said main frame, the rake framebeing suspended from one arm of said lever, and mechanism operativelyattached to the other arm of the lever for elastically suspending therake frame.

2. In a side delivery `hay rake, the combination of 'a main frame andvfront and rear supporting wheels, a rake frame pivotally suspended atits forward portion to the main frame forward of the rear supportingwheel including ralingdevices, a lever pivoted between its ends on themain frame rearward of the rake frame and having the latter suspendedfrom one of. its arms, a lever mounted on the mainframe and operativelyconnected with the other arm of the first named lever, and elastic meansattached to the second described lever and the main frame forelastically suspending the rake frame. i

Y 3. In a side delivery hay rake, the combination of a main frame andfront and rear supporting wheels, a-rake frame pivotally suspended atits forward portion on the main frame forward of the'rear supportingwheel and including raking devices, a lever pivoted between its ends onthe main frame Y opposite the rear portion of the rake frame and havingthe latter suspended from one of its arms, a second lever mounted onthemain frame, a member connected to it and operatively engaging theother arm of the iirst described lever, and an elastic member attachedto the second described lever and extending rearward and attached to themain frame.

4. In a side delivery hay rake, the combination of a mainframe and frontand rear supporting wheels, a rake frame pivotally suspended at itsfront portion to the main frame forward of the rear supporting wheels,va shaft journaled on the rake frame frame and having the lattersuspended fromy I rake-frame, and clutch controlling means lying in `thepath of the frame and operated by 1t in its raising movement todisengage Y the clutch.

6. The combination with the main frame of a hay rake, of a rake-framesuspended from it, a raking device carried by the latter, drivingmechanism including a clutch, a clutch disengaging devise lying abovesaid rake frame and in the path thereof,`and means to move the frameagainst said device to disengage the clutch. l j

7. The combination ofa wheel frame, an auxiliary frame pivotallysuspended at its forward side to said frame at an angle to the line ofadvance, its rear side adapted for a free vertical movement, a vshaftjournaled across the frame, raking devices mounted thereon, means torotate the shaft including driving mechanism mounted on the main frame,and a clutch, means to raise the auxiliary frame, and means carried onthe main frame operated by the said auxiliary frame to disengage theclutch when said auxiliary frame is raised.

8. The combination of a wheel frame, an auxiliary frame pivotallysuspended at its forward end from said wheel-frame, a rockarm mounted onthe main frame and having the auxiliary frame suspended from it, a

lever controlling the rock-arm, a shaft carried on the end of theauxiliary frame controlled by the rock-arm, raking devices carried byit, means to rotate the shaft including driving mechanism mounted on thewheel-frame and operated from the ground wheel and including a clutch,and meansl to open and close the clutch including a part engaged by apart of said auxiliary frame.

9. A side delivery rake including, in combination, a wheeled frame, anauxiliary frame hingedly connected at its forward side thereto adaptedfor a vertical movement relative to the wheeled frame and including araking device, a lever mounted on the wheeled frame and supporting theauxiliary frame at its rear, a second lever mounted on the said wheeledframe, and mechanism connecting the levers adapted by an adjustment ofsaid second lever to adjust the auxiliary frame vertically.

l0. The combination of the main frame of a hay rake, a rake-framesuspended from said main frame and including raking devices, said framearranged to have vertical movement, a lever for the rake frame includinga connection therewith, means to elastically suspend the saidrake-frame, a second lever, and mechanism connecting the levers throughwhich to. Operate one of the levers from the other and adjust the saidrake-frame.

l1. The combination of the main frame of a hay rake, a raking-framesuspended therefrom and arranged to have free vertical movement, andincluding raking devices, a lever including a connection with saidraking frame to adjust it to a given position for work, ay second lever,mechanism between it and the iirst lever by which to operate said first`lever to adjust the raking-frame to a position where its raking deviceswill be inoperative, and means to rotate the said raking devicesincluding a clutch, and means operated by the rake frame in its raisingmovement to disengage said clutch.

l2. A hay rake including a wheeled mainframe, an auxiliary framehingedly connected at its forward end and to said main frame and adaptedfor vertical movement with respect to it, a bell-crank-lever mechanismmounted on said main frame including a link connecting one arm of thecrank and the rear end of said auxiliary frame, a hand lever mounted onthe main-frame, a rod pivotally connected at opposite ends to the leverand the other arm of the bell crank, and a spring attached at one end tothe hand lever and at its other end to a part of the main structure ofthe rake between the said hand lever and the bell-crank.

13. A hay rake including a wheeled mainframe, an auxiliary framehingedly connectj ed at one end to it and adapted for vertical movement,a bell-crank-lever mechanism mounted on the said main frame including alink connecting one arm of the crank and the free end of said auxiliaryframe, a hand lever including a latch, a member connecting the lever andthe other arm of the bellcrank-lever mechanism, a spring attached at oneend to the main-frame between the bell-crank and the said hand-lever andat its other end to the latter, a second hand lever including a latch, asector secured on the frame adjacent said lever, and a sector carrier byand movable with the last named lever and engaged by the latch of thefirst named lever.

14. The combination with the main frame of a side delivery hay rake, ofa raking frame elastically suspended from said main frame, reciprocatingraking devices carried by said raking frame, means on the main frame toimpart movement to said devices including a clutch, a lever mechanismconnected to the raking frame for elevating it and means engaging a partof the clutch and engaged and moved by the raking frame when the latteris moved by the lever.

15. In combination, the main frameof a side ,delivery rake, a rake-framepivoted at its forward end thereto, means to elastically suspend therake-frame from the main frame including a lever mechanism connected tosaid rake-frame for changing the elevation of the same, the said springbeing connected to said mechanism and an adjustable lever mounted on themain frame and provided with a sector movable With it With which thelever mechanism is adapted to engage.

16. The combination in a side delivery rake of a vertically movableframe including raking devices, a lever, mechanism connecting said leverWith the said raking frame, mechanism to fiX the lever in a desiredadjustment, and a second lever on which a part of the last namedmechanism is carried, the iirst named lever engaging said mechanism andmeans to secure the second lever in a desired adjustment.

17. The combination in a side delivery rake, of a vertically movableframe including raking devices carried by it, a lever including a latch,means connecting the lever With said frame, and a second lever includinga part to receive the latch of the first said lever.

18. The combination in a side delivery rake of a main-frame, a framemovable vertically relatively to said frame, a lever pivoted on the mainframe, a second lever including a sector fixed relative to and movableWith it, a latch on the first lever adapted to engage the sector, meansconnecting the said first lever With the rake frame, and means to fiXthe second lever in position.

19. The combination in a side delivery rake, of a main frame, arake-frame pivoted thereon and movable vertically relatively thereto,means to elastically suspend said rake-frame, a pair of levers, meanspivotally connecting one of them With the rakeframe for impartingvertical movement to it, means to secure the other lever relatively tothe main frame, and means to fiX the two' levers relatively, bothadapted to move together and adapted also to have free movement.

20. The combination in a side delivery rake, of a main frame and groundWheels, a secondary frame carried by the main frame and disposed in anoblique position relatively to the line of advance, means to elasticallysuspend said secondary frame, a shaft mounted on said secondary frameincluding ERNEST C. SMITH.

Witnesses:

W.. I. SLEMMONS, L. M. THUnLoW.

Copies of `this patent may be obtained for :five cents each, byaddressing the Gommissioner of Patents,l Washington, D. C.

